Religiosity and spirituality (R/S) represent a very important factor of daily life for many individuals across different cultures and contexts. It is associated with lower rates of depression, suicide, mortality, and substance abuse, and is positively correlated with well-being and quality of life. Despite growing academic recognition and scientific literature on these connections this knowledge has not been translated into clinical practice. Part of the expanding Oxford Cultural Psychiatry series, Spirituality and Mental Health Across Cultures is a timely exploration of the implications of R/S on mental health. Written and edited by 38 experts in the fields of spirituality and mental health from 11 countries, covering a wide range of cultural and geographical perspectives, this unique resource assesses how mental health relates to world religions, agnosticism, atheism, and spiritualism unaffiliated with organised religion, with a practical touch. Across 25 chapters, this resource provides readers with a succinct and trustworthy review of the latest research and how this can be applied to clinical care. The first section covers the principles and fundamental questions that relate science, history, philosophy, neuroscience, religion, and spirituality with mental health. The second section discusses the main beliefs and practices related to world religions and their implications to mental health. The third reviews the impact of R/S on specific clinical situations and offers practical guidance on how to handle these appropriately, such as practical suggestions for assessing and integrating R/S in personal history anamnesis or psychotherapy.

This book is about spiritual intelligence and its effects on mental health and quality of life. As mental health and related problems are increasing rapidly and have become a matter of great concern, there has not been a unanimous and empirical approach to assess and cure it, due to its divergence or other causes. This book is based on the most developed construct: spiritual intelligence and its effects on mental health and quality of life. Spirituality and its other constructs are one of the most interesting topics nowadays in the area of positive/indigenous/transpersonal psychology and among social/behavioral scientists. This book provides content on spirituality, spiritual intelligence, mental health, and quality of life. The book also attempts to review related literature (whether review or empirical), to have a look at past and current scenarios on spirituality and mental health and quality of life research. Through an exploration of Indian indigenous psychology, this book provides a look at mental health and the mind from an Indian psychological perspective and examines Indian psychology, taking into consideration modern psychological concepts.

The Handbook of Religion and Health has become the seminal research text on religion, spirituality, and health, outlining a rational argument for the connection between religion and health. The Second Edition completely revises and updates the first edition. Its authors are physicians: a psychiatrist and geriatrician, a primary care physician, and a professor of nursing and specialist in mental health nursing. The Second Edition surveys the historical connections between religion and health and grapples with the distinction between the terms ''religion'' and ''spirituality'' in research and clinical practice. It reviews research on religion and mental health, as well as extensive research literature on the mind-body relationship, and develops a model to explain how religious involvement may impact physical health through the mind-body mechanisms. It also explores the direct relationships between religion and physical health, covering such topics as immune and endocrine function, heart disease, hypertension and stroke, neurological disorders, cancer, and infectious diseases; and examines the consequences of illness including chronic pain, disability, and quality of life. Finally, the Handbook reviews research methods and addresses applications to clinical practice. Theological perspectives are interwoven throughout the chapters. The Handbook is the most insightful and authoritative resource available to anyone who wants to understand the relationship between religion and health.

This book is about spiritual intelligence and its effects on mental health and quality of life. As mental health and related problems are increasing rapidly and have become a matter of great concern, there has not been a unanimous and empirical approach to assess and cure it, due to its divergence or other causes. This book is based on the most developed construct: spiritual intelligence and its effects on mental health and quality of life. Spirituality and its other constructs are one of the most interesting topics nowadays in the area of positive/indigenous/transpersonal psychology and among social/behavioral scientists. This book provides content on spirituality, spiritual intelligence, mental health, and quality of life. The book also attempts to review related literature (whether review or empirical), to have a look at past and current scenarios on spirituality and mental health and quality of life research. Through an exploration of Indian indigenous psychology, this book provides a look at mental health and the mind from an Indian psychological perspective and examines Indian psychology, taking into consideration modern psychological concepts.

The book is quite helpful in understanding the concepts of quality of work life, mental health and spirituality at work place. Mid-life soul searching, quest for stability in this VUCA world, craving for meaningful work, spiritual needs of an individual at workplace are few reasons for embracing this subject. This book is for those who want to encourage a work atmosphere where employees feel free to brainstorm and express themselves paving the way to build ‘Spiritual Organizations’. Spiritual organizations provides an opportunity for employees to grow and to contribute to society in a meaningful way. The book also provides insight to foster mental health and promote happiness at workplace. Case studies are incorporated at the end to instill interest of the readers and understand application of the concepts. The book has evolved with the teaching and research experience of the author and her interactions with various academicians, practitioners and policy makers. The book is primarily designed for HR students, research scholars, policy makers, practitioners and industry experts.

Research has indicated that spiritual and religious factors are strongly tied to a host of mental health characteristics, in both positive and negative ways. That body of research has significantly grown since publication of the first edition of this book 20 years ago. The seconnd edition of the Handbook of Spirituality, Religion and Mental Health identifies not only whether religion and spirituality influence mental health and vice versa, but also how, why, and for whom. Hence 100% of the book is now revised with new chapters and new contributors. Contents address eight categories of mental disorders, as well as other kay aspects of social, emotional, and behavioral health. Provides an authoritative, comprehensive, and updated review of the research on positive and negative effects of spirituality/religion on mental health Contains dedicated chapters focused on the relevance of spirituality/religion to mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, psychotic, eating/feeding, alcohol/substance use, behavioral addictions, and pain-related disorders, as well as marriage/family life, suicidality, and end-of-life-care Reviews the research on spiritually integrated psychotherapies, and provides basic clinical guidelines for how to effectively address spiritual/religious life in treatment Reviews the neurobiology of spiritual/religious experiences as they pertain to mental health Covers all major world religions, as well as spiritual identites outside of a religious context

INTRODUCTION Reality is a rich tapestry of interwoven levels, reaching from matter to body to mind to soul to spirit. - Ken Wilber 1.1 Spirituality What is most obvious in the meaning of "spirituality" is that it comes from its root word, which is "spirit". The suffix "-uality" qualifies the use of "spirit" in this instance. According to The Free Dictionary (n.d.) spirituality is the state, quality, manner, or fact of being spiritual. Before going through the meaning of the concept of spirituality deeply, we shall shortly discuss its root word spirit first. The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning "breath", commonly it has other uses also "spirit, soul, courage, and vigour", which comes from a Proto-Indo-European word (Calvert, 2000). It has different meanings most of them relating to a non - corporeal substance contrasted with material body. According to Oxford Dictionaries (n.d.) spirit as a noun, means the non-physical part of a person which is the seat of emotions and character; the soul. In this way we can state that the word spirit as an immaterial one. And so far the term spirituality is concerned it has various uses in various perspectives. If we search through the Internet today we discover that there are more than 4 million entries when we search for "spirituality meaning". According to Dictionary.com (n.d.) "spirituality" is 1. The quality or fact of being spiritual; 2. incorporeal or immaterial nature; 3. Predominantly spiritual character as shown in thought, life, etc.; spiritual tendency or tone; 4. Often, spiritualities. property or revenue of the church or of an ecclesiastic in his or her official capacity. From Living Words of Wisdom (n.d.) "The definition of spirituality is that which relates to or affects the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things." From the Order of time.com (n.d.) we have this entry. "The definition of spirituality many wonder what spirituality is. What is the definition? The dictionary (the Merriam Webster) suggests us that it is something deeply religious, something relating to the spirit and sacred matters." And the wiki.answers (n.d.) has this about the meaning of spirituality: "The meaning of spirituality is the meaning of life. To be faced with,